Off-duty U.S. Capitol Police officer has died

by: Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Jan 10, 2021 / 11:57 AM CST / Updated: Jan 10, 2021 / 11:57 AM CST

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 08: The American flag is lowered to half-staff atop the U.S. Capitol Building following the death of a U.S. Capitol Police Officer on January 08, 2021 in Washington, DC. The officer died after he was injured when a pro-Trump mob stormed and entered the Capitol Building on Wednesday. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

(NEXSTAR) – U.S. Capitol Police officer Howard Liebengood died Saturday while off-duty of unknown causes, the department announced Sunday. He was 51.

Liebengood was assigned to the Senate Division and had been with the department since 2005.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and colleagues,” the press release said.

On Twitter Sunday, CBS News Chief Congressional Correspondent Nancy Cordes said Former Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer told the news organization that Liebengood’s death was a “line of duty casualty.”

Former Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer tells @mkaplantv that Officer Liebengood was on the Hill on Wednesday, and called Liebengood's death a “line of duty casualty” — no less a line of duty casualty than Officer Sicknick's. “These were both line of duty casualties”.
— Nancy Cordes (@nancycordes) January 10, 2021